Paper short abstract:

On the basis of a series of films on public hearings conducted in Delhi in the past few years, this paper will attempt to analyse the various uses made of the festive elements of the Indian repertoire of collective action. It will also reflect on the methodological issues attached with that type of analysis, and that type of material.

Paper long abstract:

Laughter, humour, a sense of fun is very much part of various types of political mobilization - in the largest sense - in India. Political meetings, electoral rallies, public hearings, participatory events, street protests often include songs, jokes, and some kind of street theatre. While political theatre, of which India has a rich tradition, has been studied by theatre scholars as well as anthropologists, one finds very little analysis of other forms of fun, and of their use by political leaders, political parties, social movements, associations and activists. Yet many examples come to mind, suggesting a humorous sub-repertoire of collective action, to borrow Tilly's notion, which aims at producing a range of emotions that play an important role in mobilizing people.

Humour is much used in participatory events such as public hearings, which are organised by ONGs to facilitate a confrontation between public authorities and ordinary people, around a given issue - such as access to hospitals, or water delivery, for instance. On the basis of a series of films on public hearings conducted in Delhi in the past few years, this paper will attempt to analyse the various uses made of the festive elements of the Indian repertoire of collective action. It will also reflect on the methodological issues attached with that type of analysis, and that type of material.